


The 31st of Verdant Rain Moon (P.S. I love you)

by pseudocordelia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Dorks in Love, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, both pre and post time skip, failed love confessions, mentions of animal death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:40:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26211328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudocordelia/pseuds/pseudocordelia
Summary: Ashe tries again and again to tell Dedue how he feels. It takes an entire five-year-long war for them to actually end up together.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	The 31st of Verdant Rain Moon (P.S. I love you)

**Author's Note:**

> This story has brief mentions of animal death (horses) and limb amputation. Please keep that in mind before going forward.
> 
> I wrote this story for Dedue's birthday. Dedue means a lot to me as a character, and has really inspired me to write more. I love Dedue! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

The first thing Ashe does when he arrives home is hug his siblings. The journey back was around a week long, with all the uncertainty. He made his way on foot, following the way to Lake Teutates with some knights who were going home the same way. How doesn’t matter, though; he’s home now. He’s so happy his brother and sister are safe. He’s missed their smiles; his sister’s jokes and his brother’s teasing. Before he can even sit down, though, Lonato’s old butler whisks him away to the study. 

If Ashe remembers correctly, the mustached butler’s name is Jacques. Ashe remembers him always being there, somewhere in the shadows, keeping the household together.

He remembers learning to read in this room. Despite Lonato being gone, it hasn’t changed at all. Now isn’t the time to reminisce, though. Jacques holds out a piece of parchment. “Count Rowe has sent correspondence,” he says, taking a bow to hand Ashe the letter. “I will summarise for you: whilst for now Gaspard is under his governance, he wishes to give you this land once you’re old enough. He has also offered you a position as a knight. You and your siblings will be accommodated within the Rowe manor.” 

Ashe scans over the letter himself. How strange it is to think that Rowe believes he’s old enough to fight and die, but too young to be given his father’s possessions. It’s almost funny. 

“I will accept,” he says. “Can transport please be organized for tomorrow?”  
“Of course, milord.”   
Ashe is taken aback for a moment. He’s never been called that. “Is… is there anything else I should know about, Jacques?”   
This time, he seems taken aback. “No… I am grateful you have remembered my name, though.”  
“Isn’t it normal for a lord to remember the names of his staff? If what Rowe says is true, I think I need to know your name.”  
“Rowe has not remembered my name.”   
“Ah.” Ashe pauses for a second. He doesn’t know what to make of that. Perhaps he should’ve listened to Yuri just a bit more. “I’m sorry?”  
“It is of no importance. May I excuse myself?”  
“Of course.”   
  
He takes a bow before making his exit, leaving Ashe alone in the study with his thoughts. Is this his study now? There’s a half-full bottle of ink on the desk; some papers about trade deals and taxes dated towards the end of Garland Moon. He thinks this place belongs to someone like Lonato, not to someone like him. He wants to be a knight. He wants to cook and garden. He wants to help people by walking beside them, not by standing above them. 

He wants to talk to Dedue right now. Dedue doesn’t say much, but he always knows what to say. They can’t talk, but Ashe can at least send a letter. He wants Dedue to know he’s safe, and he wants to know if Dedue is safe. (Perhaps he has a little bit of a crush on Dedue, too.) 

With that in mind, he goes to his room to sit down and quickly write a letter. He’ll catch up with his siblings in a moment. What Ashe wants to say just flows right onto the page, anyway. It doesn’t take very long. 

“ _ The 6th of Great Tree Moon _

_ Dedue, _

_ I hope you’re doing well. To be honest, I’m kind of worried. I’m writing to let you know that I’m safe, and so are my siblings.  _

_ I’ve been offered a position as a knight by Count Rowe. He also says he’d like to give me lordship over Gaspard when I’m older. I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do. I think I still want to be a knight, but I also want the best for this land.  _

_ Either way, please write any future letters to Count Rowe’s manor. I’ll be moving there very soon. I’ll end this here, as I am sure you are busy. Send His Highness my regards. _

_ Please stay safe.  _

_ Yours, _

_ Ashe.” _

* * *

Count Rowe’s manor does not have a greenhouse. There is a garden, yet there is no variety; only coral rose bushes as far as the eye can see. 

Ashe already misses Dedue. He likes to think he’s a patient person, but right now he is waiting to know if Dedue is safe. Dedue’s one of the strongest, most resilient people Ashe knows. Ashe admires his tenacity… yet there is still paranoia scratching at his nerves. 

Depending on the weather, it should take a wyvern rider two days to travel between Rowe and Fhirdiad. If Dedue wrote and sent his response on the same day, it should be here by now. It should be here by now! Ashe finds himself thinking about it all throughout his first day of training.

Gwendal yells at him to stop daydreaming. Some of the other knights scoff at him.

...when an envelope is slipped under Ashe’s door that evening, he breathes a sigh of relief. Opening it up, he finds himself smiling. Dedue’s handwriting is as pretty as ever.

“ _ 8 Great Tree Moon _

_ Dear Ashe, _

_ I am glad to hear that you and your siblings are safe. I can assure you that I, and His Highness, will be as well.  _

_ We have continued to train thoroughly, and Regent Rufus has begun increasing Fhirdiad’s defenses. Whilst I wish his highness could be crowned sooner, I believe this city to be in good hands. The woman advising Rufus on this defense project helped end the plague of 1162. In truth, I know little to nothing of what she did. We must choose to be optimistic, though. Otherwise, our own doubts will defeat us. _

_ If you are unsure about becoming Lord Gaspard, perhaps you should discuss it with your siblings. I am sure the people of Gaspard would accept either of them, were they to rule. _

_ On that note, perhaps you should also discuss with them moving somewhere safer, further from the empire’s borders. I am sure one of our classmates could arrange housing for them towards the north or the west. This is just a suggestion, though. I know you can protect yourself, but at the same time, I wish for the safety of not just you, but also your siblings. _

_ Apologies if I have rambled, _

_ Dedue Molinaro.”  _

Ashe holds the letter close to his heart. He’s tired and his fingertips are freshly blistered, but he knows he has to write back straight away. He pulls up a chair and gets to it.

“ _ 11th of Great Tree Moon _

_ Dear Dedue, _

_ I’m so happy you’re safe! I wish I could hug you right now. _

_ You haven’t rambled at all! I like hearing your thoughts. Well, I guess I’m not hearing them. I suppose I’m rambling now.  _

_ I started training today. Have you heard of Lord Gwendal? He’s been a knight for a long time. I kind of admire him. He’s pretty strict, though! Honestly, I’m kind of sore. I’m not complaining, though!  _

_ You’re talking about Cornelia, right? My parents died in that plague. It still kind of stings to think about it. It was amazing, though, how she eradicated it. I’ve heard she’s really smart! Almost like she’s from the future or something. Also, isn’t Dimitri old enough to be crowned now? _

_ I’ll take your advice, though. You always seem to know what to say, Dedue. My brother does seem to be interested in politics, and I should be able to send my siblings to live in Gautier. Sylvain’s a really nice guy underneath the act. _

_ Then again, they have to agree with me first. My sister is so stubborn! _

_ Choosing to be optimistic, _

_ Ashe.” _

He supposes he should write to Sylvain now. Hopefully, he won’t joke about it being a love letter.

* * *

“ _ What is a commoner even doing here? _ ”

“ _ He’ll probably get us killed. _ ”

“ _ He doesn’t belong here. _ ”

Ashe is sick of being challenged to sword fights. He’s an archer. (And a pretty decent one, if he says so himself.) Training is hard with how strict Gwendal is, but it’s even worse without him. Some of the ‘noble’ knights have decided that they’re better than Ashe. Even worse, they act way too cynical. There’s talk about how to best put down a horse, about friends who’ve lost limbs, about the quickest way to end it if you’re captured. 

This time there’s no escape. There’s no greenhouse and there’s no Dedue. His siblings are still riding up north.

Letters have slowed down. There are too many people who want to know if their loved ones are safe, but not enough wyvern riders. Not to mention that Dedue’s probably busy, anyway. When the letter arrives on the 24th of the Great Tree Moon, Ashe almost cries. 

“ _ 16 Great Tree Moon _

_ Dear Ashe, _

_ I have heard of Lord Gwendal. His Highness has told me some quite, for lack of a better word, “interesting” stories about him and Sylvain. I do find it impressive, though, how long he has served. I wish you luck in your training. _

_ Yes, I am speaking of Cornelia Arnim. I have not had much to do with her, though. I will say, though, that it is normal for those things to “sting”. If you wish to write about it, I am here.  _

_ And yes, His Highness is old enough to be crowned, however the regent’s reign has been extended due to the current conflict. Whilst I understand this decision, it does also somewhat sadden me. His Highness cares about people all too much, yet is unable to do anything of note.  _

_ I do not think that is true. I merely say what I believe to be necessary. I will agree, though, that Sylvain, is indeed a good person. He is intelligent, but at the same time too rash. I am glad that your siblings will most likely go somewhere safer, though. _

_ Yours,  _ _  
_ _ Dedue. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ P.S. I apologize for taking so long to respond to your message. Your letters have meant a lot to me. To make up for it, I’ve copied an old recipe I found to the back of this parchment. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.”  _

Of course Ashe forgives him. Excitedly, he flips over the page. Scrawled in neat cursive at the top are the words “ _ Duscur Berry Crepes” _ . Ashe could probably make some for his lunch tomorrow, even if the cost of ingredients might suck his purse dry. He deserves to eat something other than the stale bread Rowe provides. He deserves to enjoy himself before the inevitable happens.

Ashe quickly begins to write his response. Dedue’s letters make him so happy, especially after such a long day.

“ _ The 24th of Great Tree Moon _

_ Dear Dedue, _

_ I think I’ve heard some of those stories from Ingrid. And thank you! I’ll think of you and try my best.  _

_ About my parents: it’s okay for now. Maybe I’ll talk about it when we meet again in person. I really appreciate your kind words. Even if you don’t always know what to say, you always seem to make my days just a little bit brighter. _

_ That’s unfortunate. We’ll just have to fight harder so we can finish the war quickly!  _

_ I guess I’m sending you a bit of a short letter this time. I’m not sure what to talk about. _

_ Yours, Ashe. _

_ P.S. Of course I forgive you. I look forward to trying your recipe. I’ll write back how I go.” _

For a moment, Ashe stares at the parchment. Something’s missing.    
He deserves to enjoy himself before the inevitable happens. Perhaps it’s rash, but he wants Dedue to know how he feels. He picks up his pen and adds one short sentence to the end, in small, dainty letters:

“ _ I love you. _ ”

With that, he goes to sleep. He’ll hand the letter to a courier tomorrow. 

* * *

Ashe wakes up to a knock on his door in the middle of the night. An emergency meeting has been called for the entirety of Rowe’s forces. Gwendal’s page points him towards the training grounds. 

The room is dimly lit. Squires hold up lamps, yet Ashe can barely make out Gwendal’s face. “Since you are all here,” he begins gruffly, “I suppose I ought to begin.”   


Ashe finds himself amongst a crowd of nodding knights.

“Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd has been found guilty of regicide. He will be executed at dawn.”

Gwendal is so blunt. Ashe tries to stop his legs from shaking. 

“Without any heir, House Blaiddyd will be dissolved. The future of Faerghus is uncertain. Count Rowe has told me we will be swearing allegiance to the empire.”  
“What!?” Ashe can’t help himself. “How can we just go down without a fi-”   
“Silence!” Gwendal’s voice is harsh. Ashe finds himself backing down. It’s not worth it. “I will follow my lord until the bitter end. A true knight is loyal to a fault.” He slams his lance into the ground. There’s a loud thud of metal against stone. “You are all dismissed!”

How is Ashe meant to sleep after that? He finds himself walking back to his room slowly, contemplating. Where is he even meant to go now? He’s been so foolish. He let his siblings out of his sight. When he finally does make it to his room, he just stares at the door for a few moments.

He should start packing. 

It doesn’t take long. All he has is his clothes, his bow, his letters, a few gold, a few books that Lonato left behind, and a lamp. (He keeps the letter he never got to send to Dedue. He can’t get rid of it. He can’t send it now, but maybe it can find its way. He needs to be optimistic.) 

He straps the lamp to his belt. The rest all fits snugly into his small leather suitcase. Quickly, he writes a note to slip under Gwendal’s door. 

“ _ I am resigning from my post. - Ashe Ubert”  _

Making his way into the night, though, he notices one thing off. There is a light coming from the stable. Ashe quietly makes his way over to check. He’s trying to be stealthy, but when he peers through a small crack in the doorway, he sees a page trembling. He looks a bit younger than Ashe, perhaps fifteen or fourteen. Around the same age as his brother.

“Are you okay?”   
“Ah!” The young man practically jumps. Ashe screeches.    
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you-”   
“It’s… it’s okay. I’ve just been here all night. The Count wants me to… do something. To one of the older horses. But I can’t do it to her.”  
  
Only then does Ashe notice the dagger in the boy’s hand. 

“How old is she?”   
“Um… seventeen, I think? I know she’s definitely older than me. She can still be ridden, she’s just not as fast as she used to be. The Count thinks she’s not worth feeding anymore.”

An idea comes to his mind. Ashe quickly opens up his suitcase and fishes out the pouch of coins. “I’ll give you a thousand gold?”

“Uh…” The boy looks around, almost as if he’s afraid of being lost. “Okay. I’ll lead her out of the stable and saddle her up for you. Her name is Butternut. She’s real pretty! She’s chestnut with a few white spots.” 

Ashe thinks he’ll call her Butternut Crepe. 

* * *

Ashe doesn’t really know what he’s doing. He’s been up to Lake Tetuates and gone along the Rhodos coast, stopping to rest at inns along the way. Butternut has proven a perfect companion. He’s been there the whole time, as Ashe aimlessly wandered across Fodlan trying to help people. He’s helped a young girl find her cat and an old widower fix his stable. He’s given food to people in need and escorted travellers to their destinations. He’s ended up in a village by the base of the Sacred Gwenhwyvar mountains. If he were to go north, he’d be in Duscur (or very least, what once was Duscur.) Secretly, he’s been hoping to find Dedue.   
  
Dedue is strong and resilient. He wouldn’t die without a fight. 

The inn he’s staying in tonight has a stable. The innkeeper told Ashe that his wife would help him with his horse.

She has eyes like Dedue. “What a beauty!” she says, taking off Butternut’s bridle. “I’ll give her a good brush, free of charge.”   
“Th-thank you. She’s a real sweetheart.” Ashe isn’t sure if it’s alright to ask her. He doesn’t want to be an asshole. “If you don’t mind me asking, by the way… are you from Duscur?”   
“Yeah, why? I moved here when I was a teenager. Say something stupid and I’ll kick you out.”   
“I didn’t mean to be rude! I’ve just… never met anyone from Duscur married to someone from Fodlan. I had a friend from Duscur… and I guess I kind of... wanted to marry them.”   


Ashe doesn’t think too hard about what he’s saying. The woman gives Ashe a firm pat on the shoulder.  
  
“You’re fine, then.” She lets out a hearty laugh. “It used to be normal for people around here to move to Duscur, or for people from Duscur to move to Faerghus. I married my husband before what happened, and nothing’s really changed. This village is still my home, you know? I wouldn’t want to raise my children anywhere else.” 

Ashe nods. The people of Duscur never felt foreign to them, and the propaganda never reached them. He wishes all of Fodlan was like this villager.

(It also occurs to him that most of this village probably can’t read. When Sylvain passed him notes in class, he wished he had never learned himself. Ignorance can be bliss.)

“But if you’re looking for this friend of yours, don’t bother going north. Going over the mountains alone is dangerous. I reckon you’d be better off visiting the Duscur residential district in Fhirdiad.”

“Thank you for the advice.” Ashe wasn’t sure if he could bring Butternut over the mountains in the first place. It’d probably be a much safer journey to travel down the rivers towards Fhirdiad. 

Then, for just a moment, the woman stares into space. “Although… I’m not sure what’s going on there. I haven’t heard from my nephew in a while… Then again, I don’t write that often.”

(He tries not to think about that last part.)

* * *

He never makes it to Fhirdiad. To be more precise, he never makes it  _ inside _ Fhirdiad.

With skirmishes, storms, and blockades littering Faerghus, all too often he finds himself going in circles. It seems like all of Fodlan is a mess. (He has to stop and rest his horse along the way, too.)

It sounds ridiculous - Ashe thinks it's ridiculous - but it takes four years for him to reach the city's gates. 

He's not allowed in. Merchants are encouraged to set up at the marketplace outside the walls, but you're only allowed in if you have a letter from someone inside. Letters supposedly take a month to be processed, though. (He can't send a letter to his siblings, either. People from the Dukedom cannot correspond with the kingdom loyalists. There's no official reason given, but it's obvious that Cornelia fears espionage.)

It's infuriating. 

It takes a whole day to circle the city's perimeter. There are no gaps, no secret entrances. It's all heavily guarded, and Ashe is lucky he wasn't arrested for 'suspicious activity'. 

He decides to rest at an inn outside of the walls. He needs to leave for Garreg Mach soon. If Dedue is still out there… he knows Dedue will keep their promise.

* * *

_ Dedue…  
_ _ He's dead.  
_ _ He died in my place. _

It's a miracle Ashe makes it to Garreg Mach in time. He still has a little bit of hope, yet Dimitri tears into his chest. His hope is shattered. He's happy that Dimitri is alive, but Dedue… there's so much more he wanted to say to him. He still has that letter. 

(At the back of his head, a voice quietly whispers to him. A fragment of the broken glass.  _ Is Dedue really gone? _ )

He shouldn't think about it anymore. Dedue will always hold a special place in his heart. As the man who taught him how to hold an axe. As the man he danced with during the White Heron Ball. As the man he would call his first love.

He can move on, though.

(Now that’s he’s here, at least he can write to his siblings. He can let Butternut rest. He can catch up with the professor. He can tell Ingrid his thoughts on that book, and he can spar with Felix. He can make some treats with Annette and Mercedes, and he can thank Sylvain for taking in his siblings. Every cloud has a silver lining.) 

* * *

Ashe wipes the sweat off his brow as he advances slightly forward. If he wants to get a good shot on the armored knight, he needs to get closer, but at the same time, he needs to watch his backs.  When he hears the sound of heavy metal boots behind him, adrenaline rushes to his head. He turns in horror-- 

_ It’s Dedue _ . Those eyes are unmistakable.  _ And he’s smiling.  _

All of the feelings come rushing back. He has to say it now. 

“Dedue… I…”   
  
Quickly Dedue shoves Ashe into his arms. There is the sound of metal against metal, as he shields Ashe from an incoming arrow. It’s stupid, especially considering the situation, but being so close to Dedue’s chest has him flustered. Dedue doesn’t seem to notice.

“You have gotten taller,” he says, moving back.   
“I, uh, yeah-”    
“Stay alert. I will speak to you later.”

Ashe is a fool; the biggest fool in all of Fodlan. He shouldn’t let himself get distracted. He has to keep moving forward, even if his heart is beating too loud.

* * *

Ashe meets him in the greenhouse. He’s facing the entrance, almost as if he was waiting. His heavy armor is gone; he instead wears a teal tunic. His arms are bare… somehow he seems to have gotten even more muscular.

Ashe takes a deep breath.

“I missed you a lot.”   
“I missed you as well.”   
“I looked for you… I went all over Faerghus. Where were you?”  
“In Fhirdiad. My brothers, men of Duscur, hid me away in the residential district. I still remembered our promise, though.”   


“Then… why?” Ashe squeezes his hands into fists. He’s frustrated. He had gotten so close to finding Dedue, only to resign himself. Only to give up.  _ He’s the biggest fool in all of Fodlan _ .  
  
“I had to make sure it was safe… That nobody would follow me. I didn’t want to put any of you in danger.” Dedue lets out a deep sigh. Whether it is in sadness or relief, Ashe does not know. For a moment, there is silence. Then finally, Dedue looks Ashe right in the eyes. He opens up his arms.  _ He’s offering a hug _ . “I’m sorry.” 

Ashe happily throws himself into Dedue’s arms. He’s so warm. “I missed you so much.”   
Dedue gently pats the back of his head. “I missed you as well,” he says once again. “You will have to tell me about your travels and how your siblings are going. I will tell you about the time I spent with my brothers.” 

They talk for hours. 

(Laying down in bed that night, trying to sleep… it occurs to Ashe that he forgot to confess. He probably should focus on Gronder instead. Taking the empire’s breadbasket is important.)

  
  


* * *

The light has returned to Dimitri’s eyes. Fhirdiad has been liberated, and his people have accepted him with open arms. Ashe and Dedue meet up in the greenhouse. 

“I will have more time to garden with you now,” he says, kneeling down beside Ashe to press fertilizer into the ground. “His Highness… I am truly happy that he is taking better care of himself. The professor has truly been patient of him.”   
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Dedue.” Ashe smiles. “When you came back… I think he calmed down. Without you, I don’t know where we would be. You truly mean a lot to him.”  
“I suppose that is true.” Dedue pauses for a moment, unsure what to say. Ashe can wait, though. They have to fertilize this entire plot; they have plenty of time. “He has called me his cherished friend. I am unsure how I feel, though. He is very important to me, yet you are as well. I am not sure how to describe it.”  
“I see.” Ashe’s face feels a bit hot. “You’re very important to me as well.”   
  


Dedue doesn’t say anything. Ashe doesn’t know what to do. He’s definitely not blushing, though!

“Um, not that everyone else isn’t important to me! Everyone’s my important friend… b-but especially you.”   
  
Dedue laughs. It’s quiet and short, but it makes Ashe’s heart jump. How is Dedue cute and handsome at the same time!? “You are a very strange person. I like it.”   
  
He looks down and smiles at Ashe. Ashe feels an arrow go right through his heart. Dedue told him that the Duscur god of love is known to be cruel… Ashe definitely understands why. “Um, I’m gonna try and focus on this!” He takes another batch of fertilizer into his hands.    
  
Dedue laughs again. He’s way too cute. It’s not fair!

* * *

They’re alone in the training grounds. Ashe stands behind Dedue, helping him grip his bow and adjust his stance. The last battle was an astounding success. The two of them both found themselves amazed with Claude von Riegan.

(“Claude’s skill with a bow is amazing!” Ashe had said during their meal last night. He sat right across from Dedue. Food always tastes better with him.   
“Atop a wyvern, no less,” Dedue replied, calmly bringing his fork to his mouth.  _ He has really nice lips, _ Ashe thought, but that was beside the point.  
“I know, right!?”   
“Perhaps you could help me with the bow tomorrow. I could use some improvement.”   
“Of course! I’m always happy to help you, Dedue.”)

“Alright!” Ashe lets his hands off of Dedue’s shoulder. “You can shoot now.” 

Dedue nods and pulls the bowstring taut. He lets go, and the arrow flings forward, landing in the red outer ring. It’s impressive, considering they’re 10 meters from the target. Dedue’s really improved aiming from a distance, but he can still do better!

Dedue pulls another arrow from his quiver. He manages to quickly nock it - another improvement from when they started. He pulls the string back, and --

Bullseye.

“You did it!” Ashe claps. Dedue smiles back at him. This seems like the perfect time. Ashe will finally say it. He takes a deep breath--

And the training ground’s doors creak open. Mercedes peaks through the door. “I was hoping to perhaps join you?” Failnaught pulses in her arms. It glows red and twitches, almost as if it’s alive. Ashe sighs.

“Of course, Mercedes.”   
  
If someone has to wield that thing, it’s better if they actually feel confident using it.

* * *

The room is silent as Ashe chops up some chicken for their Daphnel stew. There are a lot of mouths to feed, and dinner has to be ready for serving in less than half an hour, but Ashe can’t help but be curious…

“Did Dimitri tell you about the prisoner from Kleiman…?”  
“Yes,” is all he says, adding his onions to the pot.  
“Doesn’t it make you mad…? You’ve been so kind and patient, to people who’ve hated you for no reason…”  
“I do not like how my people are viewed as monsters, regardless of the reason or lack thereof. I try to be kind because I want people to know that I’m not a monster, that my people are not monsters… yet some of the people I try to be kind to completely miss the point. It infuriates me when I’m told that I’m one of the goods one. People are stubborn. I hope this information will change the perception of my people, yet I do not expect much.” 

“Ingrid…?” Ashe isn’t sure where he’s going with this.  
Dedue stops him before he can say anything else. “I do not wish to talk ill of my classmates.”   
Ashe sighs. “You’re really kind, Dedue. I know it mightn’t work for everybody, but I think a lot of people would change… if they could just sit down and talk to you.”  
“Perhaps.”  
“After the war… I hope reparations can be made. I want to help. I’d love to help rebuild, too.”   
“You would be welcome to walk alongside me.” Dedue puts a hand on his shoulder. “Are you almost done there?”   
“Yes… I…” Ashe slides the minced chicken off his cutting board and into the stew. Dedue’s words… were so heartfelt. He looks up at Dedue. At his beautiful eyes. This time he actually manages to start saying how he feels. “Dedue… I love-”   
  
There’s a loud crash from outside of the kitchen. Dedue quickly runs to open the door.

Annette’s on the floor. She must’ve fallen and dropped the pile of pots she was supposed to bring to the kitchen. Dedue rushes out to help her to her feet. Ashe feels frozen. (At least the pots were empty this time.) 

“Are you alright?” Dedue helps her to her feet.  
“I-I’ll be fine! I just tripped! Silly me!” She awkwardly laughs as she stumbles up. Dedue nods.  
“I will leave you to it?”   
“That’s fine! Thank you, Dedue!” 

Dedue looks back at Ashe. “What were you saying earlier, sorry? I couldn’t hear you.”  
“Um…” Ashe sighs. This can wait, he supposes. They’re fighting a damn war. “I finished cutting the chicken. Let’s put this on the heat.”  
“Of course.”

* * *

Ashe lays awake in bed that night. Soon, they’ll be marching to Enbarr. If they defeat Edelgard… No,  _ when _ they defeat Edelgard, he wants to confess. He has to. Yet then it occurs to him. They march the day before Dedue’s birthday. The day they arrive will be the day.

How is he supposed to feel? He doesn’t want to sour Dedue’s birthday any more than the circumstances already have, but he wants to tell Dedue how he feels… 

It isn’t fair.

* * *

Ashe wakes up at dawn to the sound of trumpets. The Professor hands him a ration of bread and tells him to start marching. He can’t wish Dedue a happy birthday in the morning like he wanted to. It’s unfortunate, yet it is one of the many sacrifices they had to make for victory. 

When Edelgard falls - when Dimitri and the professor exit the throne room, hand-in-hand, announcing victory - there are no cheers. Just sighs of relief. There’s still work to do. They have to organize a ceasefire; later, a peace treaty. The work isn’t over yet. For now, though, they’re dismissed. They’ll meet in throneroom tomorrow at dawn. 

Ashe finds Dedue standing in front of the Emperor’s statue. For a moment, Ashe just basks in his presence silently. He stares up at the statue. Wilhelm I, magnificently carved into bronze… today, his dynasty ends. It’s strange to think about. 

“She’s dead,” Dedue says, his voice somber. “Did it have to end this way?”   
“I don’t know.” Ashe looks up at Dedue. He seems so… lost. “Are you alright, Dedue?”  
Dedue shakes his head, but he says “yes”. Ashe isn’t sure how to bring up what he wants to talk about. 

“Um… happy birthday.” His voice is barely a whisper. Dedue turns to face him, though. His eyes are wide. He seems almost shocked.  
“You remembered?”   
“Of course I remembered.”

“That means a lot to me.” Dedue’s face softens. He looks calm. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Ashe.”   
“I’m listening.” 

He takes Ashe’s hands in his own.

“I’ve been thinking about my future. I want to keep serving His Highness, but I am quite… fond of you. I would be happy to spend the rest of my life by your side. I think I love you, Ashe.”

Oh no. Ashe can already feel the tears start coming. “It’s not fair that you got to say it first!”  
Dedue blinks. “You… feel the same way?”   
“Of course I do! I’ve been meaning to tell you for years!”

Today, Ashe lets himself cry. He’s been holding so much in, for so many years. 

But it’s okay to cry. Dedue will hold him through it. 

* * *

To most, the 31st of Verdant Rain Moon is the day the war ended; the day of the final emperor. To Ashe, though, it is his anniversary. It’s the birthday of his most beloved. He’d insisted he needed nothing but Ashe’s company.

He still has his letter. He thinks it's only appropriate to give it to Dedue today. And he may have secretly had a cake made by the village’s baker and a bouquet arranged by the village’s florist. (He might’ve bought some lingerie, too…) They’re rebuilding what was once one of Duscur’s most bustling towns; the people need all the help they can get. (And Ashe wants to spoil his husband, too.)

Today, they construct the walls of what will be a shrine to the Earth god. Together, he and Dedue lay down the brickwork. It’s tough, and they go home with sore muscles, but it’s worth it.

“The shrine of the Earth god is much more than a place of worship,” Dedue tells him. “In the shrine of the Earth god, we celebrate the birth of children, to thank the earth for blessing us with life. In the shrine of the Earth god, we mourn our beloved, and wish them a safe return to the earth. In the shrine of the Earth god, new couples are married, so that the earth may bless them with a fruitful marriage. It is a truly important place to my people.”

“Maybe…” Ashe says it without thinking. “Maybe we can get married in this shrine. When it’s rebuilt.”

“Of course.”   
  
With that, Dedue gets back to work. He looks forward to tonight, and the day afterward. 

Life is good. His siblings are safe: Jacques is training his brother to become Lord Gaspard. Butternut Crepe is enjoying her retirement at Garreg Mach. Dimitri is king, and he is trying to help the poor, and the people of Duscur, and everyone else who was wronged by his uncle. There are still problems in the world, but people are working to change that. Ashe is working to change that.

He looks forward to the rest of his life with Dedue.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading until the end! It means a lot to me. <3


End file.
